This invention relates to a mounting apparatus and method and more particularly to an improved method and apparatus for mounting components on a substrate with a high rate of production and minimum down time.
There has been proposed a wide variety of devices which are frequently referred to as "surface mounters" that are utilized to position small components on a substrate. These types of apparatus are frequently used in the electronics industry for mounting discrete components, such as chips, capacitors, resistors and the like, on a substrate such as a printed circuit board.
Frequently, these devices are utilized in connection with a conveyor line along which the substrates are conveyed. On at least one side of this conveyor line, there are provided a plurality of feeder stations. Each feeder station feeds a series of components which are to be mounted on the substrate. The components are picked up by a pick-up device and deposited on the substrate. Each feeder station generally includes a feeder tape mechanism in which the components are stored and fed. These feeder stations advance the tape each time a component is taken from the tape by the pick-up head.
Frequently, these devices use multiple mounting heads and handle a wide variety of types of components at a high production rates. One problem with this type of mechanism is that when the components of a certain type become depleted, it is necessary to stop the entire production process so that the appropriate feeder tape can be replaced.
There has been proposed an apparatus, as shown in Japanese published Application 7-162194, wherein an auxiliary component supply unit is disposed adjacent the main component supply unit. When components from the main supply unit become depleted, the pick-up head can utilize the auxiliary component supply unit for continuing mounting. There are, however, at least two significant disadvantages to the construction shown in that publication.
The first is that the auxiliary supply component is disposed at a substantial distance from the working area and, therefore, it is necessary to slow the rate of production when the auxiliary component supply is being utilized.
Second and probably more importantly, the mounter head must still traverse the area where the main supply component is located in order to position the components on the substrate. This means that it is not possible to replace components in the main supply unit while mounting is continued.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for mounting components wherein an auxiliary supply is provided and is located and operated in such a way that mounting can continue at the same rate and that the depleted components from the main supply can be replaced while mounting occurs.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved feeder arrangement and location and method for operating a mounting apparatus that permits the aforenoted results to be obtained.